With the season beginning on Saturday, October 18, Rochester 1 will be looking to defend its section one title this summer after triumphing over Echuca 1 in the grand final last season.
Echuca will also have a second team in the top flight, along with LBU rounding out the four-team section one season.
Senior teams feature four men and four women, with 13 ties contested in the round, consisting of a handful of singles matches followed by various men’s, women’s and mixed doubles pairings taking to the court.
Echuca Tennis Club committee member Chris Potter is optimistic about Echuca’s section one chances and the amount of participation in the club’s 12 junior teams.
“Everyone's excited for the season, numbers are down across the senior sides a little bit, but we've got 12 junior sides which is fantastic,” he said.
“The main aim for the league is to try to build tennis up and try to give the kids the best opportunities to play and attempt to build the competition that way.
“I think once the weather gets a little bit warmer it’ll draw more people in, but I think the tennis season will be good.
“Senior-wise, we’ve had a of couple of people decide not to play any more, but that happens everywhere, the courts are looking fantastic, and we just want the season to start.
“I mean, look, you'd be mad to say you weren't confident about the upcoming season, we’ve got two teams in section one so we’ll definitely be playing finals.”
With 10 new players joining Rochester between two senior teams and seven junior sides, president Beck Wolfe said there was excitement and a positive vibe around the club.
“We had a working day yesterday and finished setting all the courts up, so all the courts are good to go,” she said.
“Now that school has gone back, junior lessons start up again this week, so it’s all starting to happen.
“There are a lot of new players this year, which is nice to see. I think the season will be really good.”
Wolfe is confident Rochester 1 will be able to defend its title this summer. She also outlined some of the social events the club wants to implement this season to foster community spirit.
“I’m sure they’ll (section one) have a pretty good crack at it. I’m confident they’ll be equally good as they were last year,” she said.
“We’ve got our junior tournament in November, and we’re looking to do some sort of social hit on a Friday night or something like that, but yeah, anybody’s welcome to come and have a go.”
Over at LBU, president Grant Humbert said pre-season had gone well, albeit it was a bit quieter with one less team in the mix.
“It’s been pretty good but a bit quiet. We’re a team down from last year, which is a bit disappointing, but yeah, everything’s moving well. Apart from the number of teams here, we’re going all right,” he said.
“We’ve got one senior team and three junior teams.”
After LBU’s section one side finished fifth last summer, Humbert is confident the lone senior side will appear in finals in 2025-26, with ace Harry Connolly leading the charge.
“I don’t think the rest of us in the senior team has had a proper hit yet, but I think Harry Connelly has. He’s our number one, he’s a gun,” he said.
“We'll make the finals, I think we'll go all right that way.”
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